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AN ANTON MEDIA GROUP SPECIAL
MARCH 28 - APRIL 3, 2018
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Spring Break Staycation BY ALLISON EICHLER
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aeicHler@antonmediagroup.com
t’s that time of year again—sporadic days of warm weather, talks of summer vacation plans and stores increasing their stock of gardening supplies. These signs also point to the arrival of spring break. While many households will take the week to travel to family-friendly destinations, leaving Long Island isn’t necessary to have a fun-filled week off. This spring break, try taking each day to treat your little ones to something new around the house. They’ll have a week to remember and you won’t have to break the bank in an effort to live up to the spring break hype.
see STAYCATION on page 15A
Includes busing, lunch & towel service.
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OPEN HOUSE Sat., April 14th (12 -2pm) or call for private tour.
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CAMPS & SCHOOLS • MARCH 28 - APRIL 3, 2018
Helping Your Child Face Down Bullies
BY JERRY BOLA
specialsections@antonmediagroup.com
Childhood bullying has become such a widespread problem that one Wisconsin community even proposed levying $1,000 fines against the parents of bullies. In most cases, though, bullied children can’t count on help from their city councils, so it’s often up to their parents to help them find solutions. In extreme situations, fighting back might be the answer, but that should be a last resort, says a martial arts instructor who has taught young people how to face bullies. You can learn to bob and weave, and to deliver punishing blows, and when it comes to self defense that’s all very important, but what is perhaps even more important is the confidence that comes with martial arts training. That confidence alone is often enough to help you stand up to bullies without ever actually fighting them. Bullying doesn’t just present momentary problems for young people. It can create serious health concerns, including physical injury, social and
see BULLIES on page 16A
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CAMPS & SCHOOLS • MARCH 28 - APRIL 3, 2018
Spring Break Staycation Do a DIY project
Nothing says free time like completing a project. Bring out the artsy side of your child and work with them to create something great. Build a terrarium, craft a desk out of empty cereal boxes, draw a family tree,
repurpose dad’s old shirts or make some origami animals. A quick Google search will yield hundreds of mess-free projects your family can work on during a rainy day.
Introduce a new hobby
Make a meal together
Cooking and baking is a lifelong skill every child will learn once they grow up, so why not expose them to the fun of the kitchen early on? Throwing together a yummy dessert or a dinner meal is a great way to bond with your child, and they’ll feel the pride of having helped make food for the family.
Teach the value of a dollar
(and get spring cleaning done) No child likes chores, but with a little incentive it might not be so bad. Make a list of all the household tasks that need to get done. Maybe their room is messy, the laundry needs to get
CHAMINADE SPORTS CAMPS
done and the dishwasher needs to be unloaded. Have your child help with each task and then give them a dollar for each successful completion. You’ll have the house clean and a child who can look forward to buying their favorite candy during your next trip to the supermarket.
“Tradition of Excellence” All Camps for Boys Only
Learn at the library
★ CERTIFIED ADULT EDUCATORS ★ Spacious Swimming Pool
The library is a location often taken for granted. With everything from board games to computers to seemingly endless shelves of books, there is always something new to discover at your local library. Take a day to expose your child to all the wonders your library has to offer. Be sure to check their activity schedule as well, libraries are chock full of events for children, and most of them, if not free, cost just a couple of dollars.
★ Summer 2018
All Sport Speed & Agility, Baseball, Basketball, Crew, Football, Lacrosse, Soccer, Swimming, Track & Field, Volleyball, Wrestling
Applications for Registration Online Only.
www.Chaminade-HS.org
Check school website for all specific information about our camp
Day trip to a local attraction Have cabin fever? Take Wa day to explore one of Long Island’s many family-friendly attractions. The Long Island Children’s Museum, the Cradle of Aviation, the Long Island Aquarium, Planting Fields Arboretum, Old Westbury Gardens, the Vanderbilt Museum and Planetarium and the Nassau County Museum of Art are just a few of the fun, educational places you can take your child to during their week off. Be sure to check with your library before you go, many of these places offer free admission passes through your town’s library.
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Everyone needs a hobby, so help your child find their passion this spring break. Each day, introduce them to something new. Spend one day in the garden (weather permitting, of course), one day baking, one day reading and so on and so forth until they’ve discovered something that piques their interest.
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If a camp session is closed, please fill out wait list information on website. You will be notified by email if an opening becomes available.
(516) 742-5555 x460 & x526
Scavenger hunt around town
Long Island weather is unpredicatable this time of year, but should your spring break week grace you with a warm weather day, spend it outside. Take your to-do list and turn it into a treasure hunt of sorts. Give your child a map of all of the places you’re going to go and make it educational by providing clues with some local history. No treasure hunt is without reward though, culminate the hunt with a trip to the toy store.
• A proven system celebrating over 100 years of practice, research and worldwide recognition • Our fully equipped spacious classrooms offer the most enriched curriculum available for 18 months - 6 years. • Fully affiliated with the American Montessori Society since 1998. • Early drop-off and extended day available.
354 Lakeville Road • Great Neck, NY • 516-466-8422 Visit our website: www.CMSGN.com 180138 C
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An Education Where Children Thrive Under the Guidance of Great Teachers in an Environment that Stimulates Creativity and Individual Potential!
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CAMPS & SCHOOLS • MARCH 28 - APRIL 3, 2018
emotional distress, and even death, according to the Centers for Disease Control. Victims are at increased risk for depression, anxiety, sleep difficulties, and poor school adjustment, the CDC reports, and bullies themselves are at increased risk for substance use, academic problems, and violence later in adolescence and adulthood. For parents of children who face harassment at school or on the playground, try these tips:
are able to stay calm as they speak to the bully.
Let the bullied child know you support them
It’s important for children to know you will listen to them and do all you can to help them. Counselors often remind parents that they shouldn’t place blame on the child by asking questions such as, “Did you do something that might have made them bully you?” That wrongly puts the blame on the victim.
Tell the child they can be assertive without being Encourage them to violent report the problem Bullies tend to prey on those they can easily push around, emotionally or physically. That’s why it’s important to let them know they can’t push you around. This is where the confidence that martial arts training provides plays a significant role. Children who know they can defend themselves if it comes to that can much more easily look a bully in the eye and brush off their taunts without letting things escalate. They
If the bullying is happening at school, the child should let a teacher, school administrator or other adult know. The parent can also contact someone at the school to discuss what is happening so action can be taken. Getting your child involved in an activity that they can become good at—playing baseball, learning a musical instrument, joining a swim team—can also serve to help improve
from page 14A their confidence and self-esteem. I am a big believer in martial arts as one such option. It gets you in shape physically and mentally. As you transform your body, you’ll also transform your mind to be more focused, more disciplined and more aware. You’ll build the confidence to know you have what it takes not only to stand up against bullies, but to overcome any challenge in life. Jerry Bola, a martial arts instructor, is the creator of Martial Art Extreme, a DVD training program designed to help people build confidence, deal with bullies, lose weight and stay fit. Bola has practiced martial arts for nearly 40 years. He previously worked as a correctional officer, but now is a real estate agent and building contractor when he’s not giving martial arts instruction.
SACRED HEART ACADEMY
summer camps Summer camp participants learn from our recognized coaches, current champion players and dedicated alumnae, many of whom are recruited NCAA scholar-athletes. Register Now: sacredheartacademyhempstead.org or call (516) 483-7383 x430
BASKETBALL CROSS COUNTRY DANCE LACROSSE SOCCER SOFTBALL TRACK & FIELD VOLLEYBALL
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Helping Your Child Face Down Bullies